The Lake Victoria Challenge has an ambitious goal

Drones can make a big difference in hard-to-reach, rural communities. The Lake Victoria Challenge aims to improve the lives of the 30 million people who live in the world’s most densely populated rural area — the shores of the Lake Victoria basin, Africa — and anchor Mwanza as a gateway to the Lake region, its economy and services.

Accelerating new, clean and safe infrastructure models

The people of Lake Victoria need to be connected. Better mobility infrastructure will enable medical supplies, commercial cargo, and wider economic opportunities to reach those who need them.

According to World Bank estimates, Africa needs to spend $38 billion more each year on transport infrastructure, plus a further $37 billion on operations and maintenance — that’s just to sustain its current level of development. Africa’s infrastructure deficit is more than a mobility issue. Today, road accidents are the continent’s third biggest killer.

Drones offer a starting point for a radically new model of low-cost, fast and futuristic transportation. Transforming mobility infrastructure can provide rural towns and villages with access to modern services like emergency aid, commercial goods and medical supplies.

Convene

Knowledge & Learning

To promote the best drone ideas, technologies and practices for the Lake Victoria Region